Italy's Fiat SpA, a latecomer to China, is hoping an SUV will help it gain a foothold in a market where it set up its first joint venture just three years ago.

NPR: China's Struggling Automakers Jump On SUV Boom

Both states rank in the bottom 10 for attracting venture capital over the past three years, according to PricewaterhouseCoopers and the National Venture Capital Association.

FORBES: The Worst States For Business

It took about three years for his venture, Employ Media LLC, to become profitable, he adds.

WSJ: The Race to Nab Web Addresses

In the funding days of old (think three-four years ago), venture capitalists were throwing their money at companies with large user-bases without stopping to consider the plan (or lack thereof) for monetization.

FORBES: Series A Crunch: Why Startups Will Use Crowdfunding Instead

Some 27%of all venture rounds now have a corporate investor, up from 21% only three years ago.

FORBES: Big brothers

But as Maureen points out, if a venture firm fails to reach out to its limited partners three, or four years after raising a fund, that usually spells doom.

FORBES: Venture Capital's Walking Dead

After three years of glad-handing, jawboning and otherwise explaining herself, the new venture capitalist Joanna Rees Gallanter was down to her last 36 hours to close in on potential investors.

FORBES: Alley Cat

Even then, only three out of 20 of those successful enough to attract angel or venture-capital investors make it beyond five years.

ECONOMIST: Innovation

In fact, after nearly three years of warnings about a VC death spiral, there is a newfound confidence among the venture community.

FORBES: Venture Capital's Walking Dead